Source of Bottles

[chefd60]

Ok, I have this friend who is drinking a lot of Sam Adams these days. She is drinking pretty close to 2 cases a week, well that is her issue, mine is that I can have all of the bottles. Is there any draw back to recycling these bottles other than taking off the labels? I just picked up 12 - 12 packs yesterday and cleaning the labels off now. I use a five gallon bucket filled with water and some household ammonia and they come right off. I just take a 3m green pad to get the residue glue off then rinse. I then let air dry then sanitize them later before bottling.
All I can say is with this what seems like never ending supply of bottles, I win
Thoughts and comments welcome, Thanks Ray

 

[aModestMouse]

I have been using recycled bottles for my all of my batches and i have yet to experience any problems. I too, have a good source for large amount of bottles. Right when i think im out, two more cases suddenly appear. As for taking the labels off, i simply just toss them into a sink full of warm water and within 10 minutes they peal right off. So keep using your bottles, sounds like you'll have a lot of brewing to do...

 

[Pharmguy]

Great bottles IMO.

 

[Hammy71]

SA bottles work great. The labels slip right off with a hotwater/Oxyclean bath of 5-10 minutes.

 

[Baja_Brewer]

They're perfect bottles. I'd say get as many as you can while she can afford to keep drinking at that rate!

 

[MultumInParvo]

I guess I am too picky. I don't like that they have the writing in the glass on them. I know is really not that big of a deal, but I don't want someone else's name on MY brew.

But hey, for free? That can hardly be beat!

 

[Baja_Brewer]

I guess I am too picky. I don't like that they have the writing in the glass on them. I know is really not that big of a deal, but I don't want someone else's name on MY brew.

But hey, for free? That can hardly be beat!

Good point, if you're possibly bottling to submit to competitions, I believe you're not allowed to have bottles with writing on them (I forgot about the raised Sam Adams writing on the bottle) but the rules may vary depending on the competition...

 

[Keff]

For De-Labeling we run all our bottles through the dishwasher on heavy wash, cleans the crap and old stale beer out while the hot rinsing pulls the labels right off!

 

[Pivot]

Yea im pretty sure for the most part they are not illigable for competition because of the raised writing. They work well though, I have a few of them kicking around. Good find man!

 

[riverfrontbrewer]

I am pretty sure that I have entered bottles with writing embedded on them (SA, NB, etc) I always thought the "no markings" rule referred to no markings from the homebrewer. Or maybe they have just taken pity on me!

Not to steal the thread, but has anyone had an entry rejected for this?

Thanks!

 

[Pivot]

All I really know if from reading through the rules for alot of these comps, and it says usually very speicifcally that glass with raised writing on it is not elligable.

Basically the idea is that your bottle of beer that you enter cannot have anything at all to distinguish it and make it stand out from other brews before it is opened. Raised lettering just makes it stand out from the rest and could possibly give you some kind of advantage (or perhaps disadvantage) over the rest of the competitors before the beer is even poured.

 

[MrInternet]

When in doubt, email/call the competition coordinator... I have gotten responses from several that they will allow them as long as you ask ahead of time.

That being said, SA bottles are some of the thickest, sturdiest out there... I usually bottle a case of 12oz, half "plain"/half etched or embossed bottles (NB, SA, etc)... that gives me a couple "clean" 6'ers per batch for gifts/competitions if necessary. Bottle up the rest of the 5Gal in bombers, and you're good to go!